Article by Clyde Rems

For a long time Microsoft dominated desktop publishing, their Office package was synonymous with word processing, spreadsheets and data entry, and every workplace in the 90s had it installed on their computers. At present they still have the scene firmly in their grasp but there are some serious contenders giving people other options to Word, Excel and Powerpoint. This competition has made Microsoft up their game and they will soon be rolling out their 2010 version of the Office suite.

The new updated package will encourage more cloud computing and online collaboration with the addition of social networking aspects into Sharepoint. There will also be a free version of the suit called Office Starter, a direct competitor with the Google Docs online package which main staple points include being free and online. The new Office package promises the web versions of your formatted documents will render properly in all browsers, Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari but predictably it’s not yet been confirmed if it will be compatible with the Opera or Chrome packages.

Google have kept Docs basic and easy to navigate and have not strayed too far away from their simple but effective way of doing things. One of the strongest elements is the real-time collaboration in the web browser. Although Microsoft have introduced similar functionality in the form of co-authoring it is not known if you can work on the same document from the web browser or if you require the use of the desktop version.

Both Google Docs and Microsoft Office will allow you to create and edit presentations online. Apparently PowerPoint’s web application will let users pick a theme, edit slide layout, edit text and add animations. Google’s presentation app will have the capability to share your presentation online immediately connecting directly via the browser. Word has been the world’s word processer of choice for decades now and if Microsoft come through on their promises and launch an online version then they could maintain their top spot. They’ve added an auto-correct feature and you should be able to make tables, implement styles and formatting all in the online version.

It’s impossible to say at this point, whether Microsoft’s Office 2010 is better than Google Docs, as with many things it comes down to personal preference. Microsoft has a loyal following of users who have used the likes of Word, Excel and PowerPoint for most of their adult life. Whereas Google Docs appeals to the younger crowd, university and college students who relate to the Google way of doing things more. Whoever emerges the victor will have a tough race ahead of them with both companies working hard to develop the superior package.

Article by Phil Smulian

Google Docs has made some great new changes to its functions and features, making it even more user-friendly. Online editing with Google Docs is now available on your phone, provided you have an Android or iOS device. The app now has real-time syncronisation so that people can see what you add as and when you do so.

Users have been asking about the editing function (or lack thereof) on Google Docs documents for their phones since the first Android devices were launched. Up until now, mobile users were limited to viewing Google Docs only. Now you can edit, provided you are using the latest version of Android or have already defected to Apple.

Being able to use the edit function from your phone will prove very useful – you can change your shopping list in the aisles, catch up on work while you wait for the bus or in queues, and keep a mobile to-do list. Your edits will appear in real-time, and edits that someone else makes on their browser will appear too, which means working collaboratively on a project doesn’t necessarily mean you both have to find time on your busy schedule to meet.

The application is becoming more and more useful – you can even enter text using your voice (limited to Android users). Mobile Excel spreadsheets open in list view for easy managing. Working from your phone is becoming a lot easier and even enjoyable. Better time management and efficiency are just two of the great effects of Google Docs’ new system.

The online editor is being rolled out now, so should be available to everyone within the next few days. While this function for phones will enhance the mobile experience greatly, editing is very much an online experience so you won’t be able to use it during flights. However, in the case of someone who travels often and wants to utilise their time in the air as sufficiently as possible the Documents To Go application will work well. The package offers syncronisation with Google Docs as a download-edit-upload process which is a better option for those places with no connectivity.

Article by Codank Web Design

I’d like to present a scenario for you. Let’s say you are a freelance copywriter with many jobs on your plate. You are editing content for web pages, writing your own advertisements, writing brochures for large companies, blogging for small businesses, and you have a few worker bees to take care of some of the lesser work. Now imagine your Outlook, Entourage, or Mail application’s inbox. Pretty scary huh?

You can imagine how complicated your e-mailing experience can be when multiple attachments are sent to and from your computer everyday. Oftentimes we are revising documents and editing them before sending them right back where they came from creating multiple copies on multiple computers. This type of thing stresses many an e-mailer out there and makes it hard to stay organized when things get busy. Google Docs is definitely the fix for this person.

I came across Google Docs and watched their “Google Docs in Plain Language”. To give a quick summary, Google Docs is a remote place on the Internet that is used for storing any kind of document, spreadsheet, or presentation that you may be working with. Instead of receiving and sending multiple attachments everyday, they can be stored remotely and accessed by any user with the right credentials. This can help everyone be more productive with documents that are constantly being pinballed back and forth with new changes each time. Google Docs makes it easy to do this as well with their “add collaborators” feature. All you need to do is add their e-mail to a list and click “add collaborator” and they will now be able to make changes to the document. All you have to do is pick who can view and notify your client, co-worker, or other where it is stored.

For instance, let’s say you are the editor-in-chief for the state magazine of North Carolina. Many of your employees will be sending in all sorts of documents pertaining to the magazine that may or may not need editing. Now if each of these is handled separately via e-mail attachment, confusion will certainly occur but you know better. You are storing these documents digitally with Google Docs and your employees are logging in and posting their work and you are collaborating right there and they are able to see the finished product. How much more efficient and organized is this?

With Google Docs, you can make your e-mail attachment nightmares a thing of the past and start organizing remotely. This will help productivity and the overall stress load for all who are involved. If you haven’t heard of this tool, explore a bit by checking out some videos or tutorials to see if it’s for you. If not, then what’s the big deal? It was completely free just like all things Google.